


i'm a fire (and i'll keep your brittle heart warm)

by booksandchocolatecake



Category: Six of Crows Series - Leigh Bardugo
Genre: Complete Disregard Of Canon, M/M, apologies for the lack of jesper in this fic it was plot necessary, the wesper first kiss but its wylan and kuwei
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-23
Updated: 2020-11-23
Packaged: 2021-03-10 06:02:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,302
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27688661
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/booksandchocolatecake/pseuds/booksandchocolatecake
Summary: The night before the auction, Wylan is terrified. Kuwei comforts him, and they confront their shared feelings for each other.
Relationships: Wylan Van Eck/Kuwei Yul-Bo
Comments: 9
Kudos: 21





	i'm a fire (and i'll keep your brittle heart warm)

**Author's Note:**

> Title from Taylor Swift's peace.

Wylan pulled his knees to his chest. He leant against the wall of the hotel bathroom and rocked silently on the palms of his feet, his hands picking at his already rough nails. 

The jewelled mirror in front of him showed his tired reflection. The messy red-gold curls and freckles, the pale skin. The purple bags under his eyes. His reflection, not the face of another that had stared back at him every morning for the last two weeks. Kuwei was not unattractive, Wylan supposed, feeling his cheeks pink. So why had he felt so tormented seeing the other boy’s reflection as his own? 

Regardless, everything was back to normal now. It was as it was supposed to be. So why did he still feel so strange, when he thought of everything that had happened and was to come? So different from the boy he had been before?

The plan was risky, but it was their only option. They would offer up Kuwei, as they had decided. Jesper would shoot him, and they’d save his life after escaping with the body.

Kuwei had agreed to the plan knowing the risks. If he didn’t work with Kaz and his crew, he’d be dead within hours or forced to make jurda parem for a foreign government who wouldn’t look upon him so kindly. It was his choice, and the best one at that. So why did thinking of strange men taking Kuwei, looking at him like a piece of merchandise to be used and discarded, make Wylan’s stomach churn?

Jesper had accompanied Wylan as Genya tailored him. Wylan found him drunk in the room with the piano, thinking Kuwei was Wylan. He’d corrected Jesper before he could say anything to the Shu boy, though. Wylan had seen Jesper talking to Kuwei in an almost… suggestive manner, and felt like Inej had put one of her knives through his heart. He couldn’t understand it. He’d only ever seen Jesper as a friend. Perhaps he was simply being protective of the sharpshooter who had been his only friend in the Barrel. Nevermind that his thoughts were filled by Kuwei, the strange boy who most likely hated him.

Wylan thought again of the plan, of how he would be kidnapped, forced to face his father. He bit back a sob. It wasn’t being beaten up that scared him. Wylan now knew there were far worse fates than physical pain. But he wasn’t sure if he’d be able to hold himself high hearing his father’s taunting words again, feeling his blows. He didn’t think he could bear it.

Wylan got up, shaking, and put a hand on the mirror. His reflection followed.

The door swung open, and Kuwei strode in.

“Do you think I’m so ugly you feel the need to stare at yourself now you no longer resemble me?”

Wylan jumped, and quickly recovered himself. He blushed bright pink. “I wasn’t staring. Simply… admiring Genya’s handiwork.”

“Did you tell her to make you even more attractive?”

“You… you think I’m attractive?”

Kuwei raised an eyebrow. “I never said that.” He leant against the towel railing, running a hand down the metal. “Do you think yourself attractive?”

Wylan spluttered and gasped but was unable to form a response. For a second, he’d nearly thought Kuwei was complimenting him. What a foolish hope.

“Are you scared?” said Wylan. Kuwei looked up. “For tomorrow, I mean. It must be hardest for you most of all.”

“I guess so. But I’ve been alone all my life. It was always me and my father, and then just me. I can survive.”

“You’re not alone right now.”

Kuwei let out a bitter laugh before his expression softened. “I suppose not.”

He looked directly at Wylan and Wylan’s breath caught in his throat. Kuwei’s gold eyes were beautiful. He’d seen them hundreds of times in the mirror, but somehow it felt different when it was Kuwei wearing them.

“And thank you for asking, Wylan. No one’s ever asked how I feel about all the shit in my life before.”

Wylan blushed and looked away.

“I’ve seen your sketches.” said Wylan. “In your notebook. You left it open on the table. Your bomb designs are genius. I’ve never seen anything like them. And your talent with fire seems so cool. I always wanted to be a Grisha.”

“It’s not all it’s cut out to be.” Kuwei rolled up his sleeve. Underneath was a long scar stretching up his forearm, clearly years old. “This is what you get for being a Grisha in Shu Han.”

Wylan was silent for a long time. 

“I’m so sorry, Kuwei.”

“It doesn’t matter anymore.” said Kuwei. He grinned. “By tomorrow, I’ll be dead. The dead don’t have to worry about the problems of the living.”

“And what about the people they leave behind?”

“Anyone who ever cared about me is long gone. Perhaps I’d be better off in the land of the dead.”

Wylan felt a pang in his chest. He sat on the side of the bathtub, and Kuwei joined him.

“I don’t know what I’ll do after tomorrow. If I survive my father, if the plan works, I’ll just be lost again. I don’t belong here. You know that. I’m not sure there’s anywhere I belong.”

“What about your boyfriend?”

Wylan almost choked. “My what?”

“Jesper? I assumed you two were dating.”

“No!” he exclaimed. Kuwei gave him a look of confusion. “I just meant- we’re not like that. We’re just friends.”

Kuwei shrugged. “If you say so. I only thought because- well, when you saw Jesper talk to me like that, you looked as if you were one step away from a jealous fit. I had to assume.”

Kuwei wasn’t wrong, thought Wylan. Only incorrect about the person Wylan was jealous of.

“I’m sorry you have to go so soon.” said Wylan, blushing. “I know we haven’t talked much, but it’s been really good having someone else around who knows about bombs.”

“Me too. I’ve never had the chance to talk to people my age before.” Kuwei looked Wylan in the eye. “I like you a lot, Wylan Van Eck.”

Wylan smiled, his heart beating faster. “I like you a lot too, Kuwei Yul Bo.”

Before he could think about what he was doing, Wylan took Kuwei’s hand in his. 

“I’m gonna miss you. Around.”

Kuwei smiled and swallowed. “You were right, by the way. Maybe I am a little nervous for tomorrow. I had to grow up so quickly. I’m used to shoving away my emotions so I can do whatever is necessary.”

“My father would hit me if I showed him I was upset. So, yeah. I get that.”

“I don’t want to be responsible for the fate of the entire fucking world. I just want to be normal. And blow shit up. If I could make myself forget how to make jurda parem, I would.”

“Yeah. I wish I could just live in the Slat and be accepted by everyone whether I can read or not.”

Kuwei hugged Wylan tightly. When they came apart, Wylan kept tucked at his side, so close he could feel his body heat.

“If anyone disregards your amazing bombs just because you can’t read, they’re stupid.”

“And you’re a really great person, Kuwei. If everyone can’t see that because they’re stuck on the jurda parem thing, then they’re really stupid too.”

Wylan looked up, his breath coming quickly. They awkwardly stared for a moment before Kuwei leaned forward and kissed him. When they finally stopped, breathless and in shock, Kuwei lifted his hand to Wylan’s cheek.

“That was the first impulsive thing I’ve ever done.”

Wylan kissed him again, more passionately this time.

“I want to go with you, Kuwei.” said Wylan.

Kuwei grinned. “Let’s get through tomorrow first.”

**Author's Note:**

> I hope I managed to convince you to ship Wylan and Kuwei if you didn't already. Comments and kudos are appreciated a lot and it means so much to me to hear what people thought of this fic! You can find me on tumblr - I'm @kuwylan. Thank you to Ethan (@wywei on tumblr) for inventing this ship.


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